The moment we choose training as a profession, we need to think about our passion for training and our ROTI (Return on Time Invested). Our profession is the way to earn money. If we cannot earn money, it simply is our hobby. In hobbies, we spend money but through profession or business, we earn money.
One more point we need to keep in our mind is that our participants do not want simply GYAN but they want either perfect solutions to the problems, which presently they are facing or some piece of knowledge & wisdom, which will help them to progress in their life.
According to my opinion, when any trainer wants to become a professional one, he/she may follow the following five steps:
Step # 1 – Find your IKIGAI:
This is the first step to becoming a Professional Trainer. This step is the most vital one. If you follow the IKIGAI philosophy, you get maximum happiness when –
you love training
you are cable of conducting training
people want you to conduct training
you can earn by conducting training programs
All of these four points have been so far touched upon. Professional training is not only the means of your earning but also ultimately provides you with your desired happiness.
Step # 2 - Understanding the needs & expectations of the trainees and their sponsoring organizations:
Your trainees or the participants of your training programs basically are your customers. They have come to your program because they want to learn something new, something better, or something different, which either they want to implement or their nominating organizations want them to implement in their workplace for the organizational benefit or in their life for their personal improvement.
Hence, it is very important to understand their needs and their expectations from the training program. And so a communication channel needs to be established proactively by the trainer. Pre-course test also helps to understand the level of knowledge of the participants.
Step # 3 - Preparing self:
Plan your session well in advance – be clear about what you want to teach, who your audience is, the duration and mode of training, etc. Most importantly why do you want to become a trainer? What is your uniqueness? Do you have enough knowledge to become a solution provider? Your personal ‘Branding’ plays an important role here because your personal brand value will largely influence your acceptability to your trainees as trainers.
Knowledge must flow. It should never be stagnant. The trainers shall never hold the knowledge within their close hearts as their personal intellectual property. They need to learn how to share knowledge among the participants.
Step # 4 - Training Format and Methodology:
When you are through with the first three steps, the Training Methodology needs to be finalized. You may start with questions, jokes, stories, case studies, problems, or any other things but whatever you do, the purpose is to create sheer interest among the participants. Artwork or creativity of the PPT slides, audio-video displays, and games help the participants to understand the subject easily.
What is your topic for the training? Please ensure that you are a domain expert. Build up the flow from fundamentals to in-depth stuff. Fill it with case studies, and exercises. Ask the participants about their views and experience sharing. Create a ‘light bulb moment’ for each individual participant.
Step # 5 – Foot step for supplemental - Train & Grow:
Growth is a fundamental right of everyone. Trainers need networking for their growth. But a stable and reliable network would demand your credibility. Your net worth is reflected in your network.
Please keep in mind - people will buy from you not only because they know you but also because they trust you. Most importantly, you have added value to their life.
You can grow easily along with your network. Hence, always look for network expansion.
Once, you are involved in training, you will be granted as the ‘Subject Mater Expert’ or even an authority on the subject matter. When you become an authority, your perceived value will change. Your authority and influence are so powerful that people would like to buy you and your time. As a result, you can utilize your training program as a footstep for other activities like consultancy, auditing, etc.